Parent Troubles
by Lil Badger 101
Summary: Third in the 'Troubles' trilogy. A Chain of events starts to unravel which threatens to change Greg and Oscar's lives for the worst. Will Greg be able to keep a clear head and figure out what's going on, or will Oscar once again be taken away from him? This time, for good.
1. Chapter 1: Safety First

**A/N: So here it finally is! The last story in my trilogy following Greg and his son Oscar. I dedicate this story to ****Cupcakes1020 ****as the reason I'm posting this today is because she requested it for her birthday today :) So, I hope you enjoy, and I believe this will be the most dramatic 'Troubles' story yet ;) **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! **

**Please Review :) xx**

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**Chapter 1:Safety First  
**

It had been almost a year since Nick found out about his son, Felix. Unfortunately, the five year old still lived in London, England with his mother, Katelyn. So now, Nick cherished every moment he got to spend with his son.

And on this particular day, he was extremely excited as it was the school holidays, and Felix was coming to stay with him for four whole weeks. It made Nick happier than ever to talk to his little boy on the phone or over Skype, but it was nothing compared to Felix actually being there. It made Nick sad beyond belief that he couldn't be with his son all the time, which is why he valued these visits so much.

And that was why, when Nick walked into the break room that evening with a big smile on his face, Greg smiled back just as widely, excited for his friend.

"When's Felix getting here?" Greg asked as he handed Nick a cup of coffee.

"Tomorrow afternoon" Nick informed him "I can't wait! I have so much planned, and he's going to be so surprised when he meets Sam"

"You didn't tell him you got a dog?" Greg asked.

"No, I wanted to surprise Felix when he next visited" Nick explained.

Greg nodded "Great, well, make sure he has some time to play with Oscar, he's very excited too ya know" he said with a smile.

"Of course! Felix can't wait to see Oscar too" Nick assured him "Where is Oscar today, anyway?"

"Oh, It's Morgan's night off so she offered to baby sit" Greg replied "He really loves spending time with Morgan"

"Oscar's not the only one" Nick said with a knowing smile and a wink; Greg just rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, I have a case" Greg claimed before Nick started the usual accusations "I'll catch you later, man" he said clapping Nick's shoulder as he walked by.

"Yeah, see ya" Nick replied.

* * *

Greg ducked under the yellow tape to his crime scene and met Brass outside the burgled electrics store.

"Evening" Greg greeted the usually stern detective, but he must have caught Brass in a good mood as the detective smiled.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here" Brass said, patting the CSI on the back and walking him into the store; now Greg was started to get a little freaked out.

"Why's that?" the CSI asked nervously.

The officer stopped walking and nodded over to the cashier who was babbling to another officer at a hundred miles an hour as the poor officer tried to keep up and write everything down.

"Hasn't stopped talking since the moment we arrived" Brass said "But we have what we need, and since we've cleared the scene, she's all yours" he said. "Oscar's three, you'll be used to the excessive chatting, right?" he quipped.

"Hey! Don't compare my son to some crazy old woman" Greg whispered in defence and Brass only chuckled to himself.

"Good luck" the detective said with one last grin, before calling the officer out with him and leaving Greg alone with the woman in the store.

It took about another ten minutes for Greg to convince the woman to leave, but it seemed that all that talking had eventually tired her out. So, Greg was finally left alone to get on with his job – finding out who'd stolen several TVs and laptops from the store.

The CSI was dusting a counter for prints, when all of a sudden a scream form the street outside disrupted the overbearing silence. Greg ran outside, placing a hand on his gun in preparation. Just down the street a woman was stood shaking and crying hysterically. Greg immediately ran over to her.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" Greg asked as he reached the woman and placed a comforting hand or her shoulder.

"H-he stole my p-purse" the woman stuttered "th-the man h-he went down there" she said pointing a shaky finger to a dimly lit alley.

"Hey, it's okay, I'll get it back for you" Greg said reassuringly "I'll be right back" he promised and then ran off down the alley.

The CSI cautiously pulled his gun out as he entered the shadows. Carrying his gun had only become common sense to Greg after he found out about his son. Greg was a father now, and if he got hurt at a crime scene, he would never forgive himself for leaving Oscar alone. Greg loved his son with all his heart, and Oscar had not had the best start in life, which is why now, Greg knew precautions like guns were all the more necessary.

The father suddenly heard a rattling noise coming from a dumpster just ahead. Around the edge, Greg could see two sneakers sticking out as the mugger knelt down to examine the contents of the stolen bag.

"LVPD, come out and put your hands behind your head" Greg warned the man.

The man suddenly looked up at the CSI, and much the Greg's surprise, he simply stood up and approached Greg with his hands raised in surrender. Greg was still a little dubious of the situation, but started to get his cuffs out all the same.

Suddenly, the man lunged forward, grabbing Greg's gun and using it to hit the CSI on the side of the head. Greg fell to the ground with a grunt of pain and watched furiously as the man ran as fast as he could down the alley. Greg placed a hand to his injured temple; _great, blood._

"Oh God" a voice breathed and Greg turned to find the woman whom the stolen purse belonged to. "Are you alright?" she asked desperately whilst helping Greg stand up. "Let me take a look at your head, I'm a doctor" she explained as she moved Greg's hand out the way.

"I'm sorry I let him get away" Greg said, and then hissed as the woman delicately touched his wound.

"Hey, don't apologise, not many men would have been brave enough to go after him" the doctor replied. "Thank you, by the way" she added with a sweet smile.

Greg smiled back. The woman was really quite beautiful; sleek black waves of hair ran nearly down to her waist and she had piercing blue eyes. Her skin was very fair - completely unblemished - and her lips were cherry and plump, a complete contrast to her slim - and average heighted - figure. She actually reminded Greg a lot of someone…although he wasn't quite sure who.

"It was my pleasure" the CSI finally responded and the woman stepped back "So, what's your diagnosis?" Greg asked.

"You don't feel dizzy or anything, do you?" the woman asked; Greg shook his head. "Then I think you're going to be fine" she said with a smile "It's just a small gash, put some ice on it when you get home to stop the bleeding and it should heal completely in a couple of days"

"Alright, thank you" Greg replied.

"May I at least know my hero's name?" the doctor asked with a grin.

"It's Greg, Greg Sanders" the CSI informed her; he just hoped he wasn't blushing too badly.

"Nice to meet you" the woman said with a slight nod "My name's Samantha Wilson" she informed Greg. "May I take my purse?" she asked "Unless you want to press charges, personally I'd just rather try and forget about it. It was quiet scary, ya know?" she said, growing nervous all of a sudden.

"No, take it. He had gloves on anyway and his face was covered, I'd have no real evidence to catch him" Greg explained with a little annoyance in his voice.

"Alright" Samantha said going to collect her purse and turning back to Greg "Listen…I'd really like to thank you properly…would you…would you like to get coffee sometime?" she asked, biting her lip nervously.

"You mean like… a date?" Greg asked a little shocked.

"Well…yeah" Samantha said with a nervous smile.

"Sure" Greg replied with a smile. He wasn't really sure why; Samantha just seemed like a great girl.

"Great" Samantha said with a grin "Here's my card" she said handing it to Greg.

"Awesome, I'll call you" Greg said slipping the card into his pocket.

Samantha smiled at Greg one last time before heading off down the alley. Greg watched her go and felt a somewhat familiar feeling of attraction inside him. After a while, he sighed and turned to go back to his crime scene. _What a night._

* * *

"Aunt Morgan, why can't I stay up and wait for daddy?" Oscar begged for at least the tenth time as Morgan helped put his Pyjamas on.

Morgan laughed "Because! It's way past your bedtime already and daddy would be mad at_ both_ of us if he knew I let you stay up this late" she explained.

"But I miss him and I wanna see him" Oscar pouted.

Morgan smiled a little sadly at the boy "He misses you too, squirt" she said ruffling Oscar's hair "But you know what? The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner it'll be morning, and you'll get to see daddy again"

"Really?" Oscar said excitedly and Morgan nodded "Okay!" he said and dived under the bedcovers.

Morgan laughed as she tucked him in "Goodnight, squirt. I'll be in the lounge if you need anything" she told him.

"Night, Aunt Morgan, I love you" Oscar mumbled as he closed his eyes and hugged his stuffed giraffe close.

"I love you too" Morgan smiled and placed a soft kiss on her nephew's forehead before switching the light off and leaving the room.

Morgan went back to the lounge and sat watching TV whilst she waited for Greg to come home. Oscar didn't stir the whole time, which meant Morgan's bargaining tactics must have worked. Morgan loved spending time with Oscar; personally, she'd never thought she'd be one for kids, but Oscar was just like his father, so mischievous and fun to be around, not to mention the three year old was so bright for his age. Morgan was always happy to take care of Oscar, she'd bonded with the child since the day they met, and she knew Greg greatly appreciated her for it.

Eventually, Morgan heard the door being unlocked to signal that Greg was home. She got up with a smile to greet him, but was shocked when Greg entered the room with a big cut running across his left temple.

"Greg, what happened?!" Morgan asked in shock.

"This guy stole a woman's purse and I went after him, he hit me with my gun, but he got away" Greg explained as he made his way to the kitchen to get an ice pack.

"Wow…" Morgan said; it didn't at all surprise her Greg had been injured trying to help someone else "Are you going to be okay?" she asked concernedly.

"Yeah, I'll be fine" Greg gave her a reassuring smile "Luckily the woman I helped was a doctor… she was really nice…we're going on a date, actually" he said whilst rummaging in the freezer.

"Oh…" was Morgan's only response; she wasn't sure what else to say "Well, at least something good came out of it, right?" she said with a somewhat forced smile, but Greg didn't notice.

"Yeah" Greg said closing the freezer door after retrieving the ice "So, did Oscar behave tonight?" he asked as the pair headed back to the lounge.

"Of course, he always does" Morgan said as they sat on the sofa "He ate all his dinner, we played with his animals, watched some TV. He really wanted to stay up and see you, said he missed you" she informed him with a smile.

Greg smiled too; he'd never felt a love so strong than that for his son. "I miss him too, I wish I could put him to bed every night but…" he looked sadly at the floor.

"Hey, I told him you miss him too" Morgan said as she placed a delicate hand on Greg's shoulder "And you have to work to support him, Oscar understands that"

"Yeah" Greg said with an appreciative smile "Thanks for looking after him" he said pulling Morgan into a hug.

"It's my pleasure, I love spending time with Oscar" Morgan assured the father.

"Good" Greg said as they pulled away "we love you too" he said with a smile, which Morgan returned.

After that, it was getting extremely late – or early – so Morgan headed back to her apartment. Greg went into Oscar's room to give him a kiss goodnight, and couldn't help the smile which broke across his face as he watched his innocent son sleep with his thumb in his mouth – Greg's mother would never let him forget he always did the same as a child.

"I love you, Osc" Greg whispered as he placed a soft kiss on the top of his son's jet black hair.

Oscar stirred a little at the touch, but soon settled down again, and Greg left the room with a smile still on his face.

* * *

**And all was well….for now :) Mwhahaha **

**I'm not sure when I'll next update because finishing 'Expecting the Unexpected' is my main priority, but hopefully shouldn't take too long :) **

**Happy Birthday Cupcakes1020!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Letter

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for reviews/follows/favourites/ reading! It makes me smile, and I think you'll really like this story ;) Nick and Felix's sort of side story is mostly about them coping with not seeing each other all the time, whilst Greg and Oscar have some big problems to come, because I'm mean :P**

**Anyway, please review :) xx**

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**Chapter 2: The Letter **

Greg wasn't sure what time it was when he felt the light weight bouncing up and down at the end of the bed. Oscar was giggling to himself cheekily as he watched his daddy roll over and rub his eyes tiredly.

"Hey, buddy" Greg said quietly as weariness was still upon him, but he smiled none the less.

"Daddy!" Oscar squealed as he crawled over to his father and sat by his head on the other pillow. It was then the little boy noticed the red mark on the side of Greg's head. "Daddy, what's dat?" the little boy pointed.

"Oh…" Greg said placing a hand over the injury; he'd almost forgotten about it. "Daddy had a little accident last night" he said; there was no way he was going to try and take Oscar's innocence away from him at this age. He knew daddy helped take bad people away; that was it.

Oscar looked at his father with wide and upset eyes "Did it hurt?" the little boy asked, his bottom lip quivering a little.

"It did a bit, but not anymore" Greg reassured his son as he pulled Oscar to be nestled in his side "I'm fine" he whispered, kissing the little boy's forehead.

"Good" Oscar said burying his head in Greg's tee-shirt; he didn't like the idea of his daddy being hurt. "I love you daddy" he mumbled.

"I love you too" his father replied.

Greg smiled at his son and then looked over at the clock; 8:30 am, that was a lay in by both his and Oscar's standards. Ever since becoming a father, Greg had found he'd had to run on a little less sleep than he was used to, but he'd never been much of a sleeper anyways – he liked to be moving and out and about.

"Wanna get some breakfast? How do pancakes sound?" Greg suggested.

"Yeah!" Oscar said enthusiastically as he sat up.

Greg smiled and picked up his son before heading down the stairs; this morning could be a pyjama morning, he decided. Greg sat Oscar at the table with some colouring things whilst he went to prepare their breakfast. Just as Greg was plating up, Oscar heard a soft thud as the mail hit the floor after being dropped through the letter box.

"I'll get it!" the little boy said as he jumped from his seat; he was always eager to help.

"Good boy" Greg called after him.

Oscar returned with a stack of mail and placed it on the table just as Greg brought the plates over.

"Thank you daddy" the little boy grinned as he grabbed the maple syrup.

"You're welcome" Greg smiled as he sat down "and thank you for bringing the mail" he said picking up the pile.

There were the usual bills, magazines and a postcard Greg's parents had sent Oscar about their trip to New York. However, the thing that really caught his eye was an envelope with only his name and address on, written in elegant curled handwriting he didn't recognise. Greg frowned a little; there wasn't even a return address. For now though, he set the envelope aside so he could enjoy eating breakfast with his son.

"Daddy, isn't Felix coming to stay with Uncle Nick today?" Oscar asked as he stabbed at a big piece of pancake.

"Yes, he is" Greg replied "And don't worry, Uncle Nick said Felix is really looking forward to playing with you"

"Yeah! He's going to love Sam" Oscar said happily.

"I should think so" Greg smiled "We'll arrange some playdates for you, but in the meantime what do you want to do today?"

"Hmm" Oscar said as he tapped his chin in a thoughtful way; Greg couldn't help but laugh. "Can we go to the park, please?" Oscar finally decided on.

"Sure, we'll go this afternoon" Greg said as they finished their pancakes, "Wash your hands and then you can watch TV for a while whilst I clear up, okay?" Greg instructed.

"Okay" Oscar smiled, and stood on his stool at the sink to wash his hands before heading into the lounge.

After putting the dishes in the dishwasher – one of the best things ever invented in Greg's opinion – he went back to the pile of mail and sat at the table as he grabbed the mysterious envelope. Greg ripped the seal with somewhat cautious fingers, before unfolding the piece of paper and commencing to read the words in the same elegant script as on the envelope.

As Greg read the letter, his eyes widened as the realisation began to consume him. This was the letter that in some aspects he'd been dreading and hoping to never see, yet he had known it was inevitable really. This request was bound to reach him one day, he just wasn't expecting it to be so soon. Greg sighed in despair as he put the letter down and ran his shaky hands over his face.

As Greg thought of his young son – too young – sat blissfully unaware just across the hall, the father just didn't know what to do.

* * *

Nick opened the door to his bouncing son later that afternoon, and Felix smiled widely as his father before practically jumping into Nick's arms. Nick did not remember smiling so much for a long time, as he relished having his little boy back in his arms.

"Dad!" Felix squealed "I missed you so much"

"I missed you too" Nick said closing his eyes contently so he could remember the moment.

Katelyn stood smiling on the doorstep; she knew now that keeping Felix from his father had been the wrong thing to do, but she had believed things wouldn't work out with them living in different continents, in different time zones etc. However, as she now watched her little boy with his father, she knew Nick loved Felix, and would always be there for him, even though they did live so far apart.

"Hey, Katelyn" Nick finally said with a soft smile as Felix sat in his arms, the boys own arms wrapped around his father's neck.

"Hi" Katelyn said returning the smile "I won't stay, I know you guys wanna get started on your quality time" she said, before kissing Felix on his forehead "bye sweetie, be good, I'll be staying with Grandma and Grandpa if you need me"

"Okay, by mom, I love you" Felix replied.

"I love you too" Katelyn smiled and they waved to each other before she walked away.

"Dad, I can't wait to do all that stuff you talked about" Felix said eagerly as Nick placed him down and they went into the house.

"Me either" Nick smiled "but first, I have a surprise for you"

Felix looked at him curiously, and at that point Sam decided to bark loudly and come rushing into the room.

"Dad, you got a dog!" Felix said excitedly, and Sam appeared just as excited as he started to lick the boy playfully "Hey, cut it out, that tickles!" Felix giggled.

"Sam, s'asseoir" Nick said motioning his hand towards the floor, and the dog immediately backed up and sat on the floor obediently.

"Cool, he speaks French" Felix grinned "Bonjour, Sam" he said, and the dog barked in response.

"You know French?" Nick said impressed and proud of his six-year-old's intellect, but also saddened at the fact he didn't really know these things about his own son.

"Only a little" Felix said as he rubbed Sam's fur "I go to a really fancy school, remember?"

"Of course" Nick assured him son "And that's because you're really smart" he added. Felix smiled at him. "So, you want to see your new room?" Nick asked.

Felix's mouth dropped a little in surprise "I have a new room?!" he asked in a consistent display of enthusiasm.

"Uh-uh" Nick said as he took his son's hand and started to lead him through the house "I want you to feel comfortable here, this is as much your home as your house in England" Nick explained, and he couldn't stress that enough.

They went upstairs, and Nick pushed the door open to the left. Last time Felix had visited, it had been a rather plain guest room, but now, Nick had painted and decorated the walls with all of Felix's favourite things and put in a new bunk bed, as well as some new toys.

"Wow…" Felix breathed as he stepped into the room.

"You like it?" Nick asked hopefully; he'd wanted everything to be perfect.

"Yeah!" Felix exclaimed "I love it, thanks dad" he ran to Nick and hugged him tight.

"Good, I'm so glad" Nick said with a smile "Your Uncle Greg helped, so you have to thank him too, okay?"

Felix nodded "Will I get to see Uncle Greg and Oscar soon?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure!" Nick replied.

Felix looked around at his room once more before looking back at his father "thank you, dad, I love you" he said, hugging Nick once more.

"I love you too" Nick said, and that love was something he was sure he'd never experience, but then Felix had come along, like a blessing.

"Can I go play with Sam for a little while?" Felix asked.

"Sure, how about you take his ball into the backyard whilst I make lunch?" Nick suggested.

"Okay" Felix agreed and the father and son headed back downstairs.

Nick went about preparing some food, but would pause every now and again at the sound of his giggling son, and watched as he ran around the garden, Sam chasing him for the ball. Nick couldn't be happier at that moment; he had his son with him, a son he was pretty sure he was never going to have, but Felix made Nick carry on, when a case was hard, or with the thought of his next visit. Nick loved his son, and that would never change.

However, what made Nick sad was the fact that even though four weeks seemed like a long time, he knew that it would fly by, and Felix would soon have to leave again. That's why Nick was going to make the most of his son's visit, and he was determined to make sure Felix had the best time.

Nick was about to call Felix in, when there was suddenly a frantic knock on the door. Frowning curiously, as he had not been expecting visitors, Nick went to open the door. He was surprised to find Greg looking rather frantic and a sleeping Oscar rested on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm so sorry for just stopping by like this" Greg started, and Nick noted the very definite distress in his voice "But something happened, and I just need to talk about it and, I know you'll kinda understand" he rambled nervously; Nick couldn't get a word in edgeways. "And I really didn't wanna interrupt because I know Felix just got here and…you know what maybe I should just…" he turned to leave.

"Whoa, Whoa, Greg it's okay" Nick told him, leading the man into his house "If something has got you this upset then I want to hear about it" he stated concernedly.

"Thank you" Greg said and just then Oscar began to stir.

When his son woke up, Greg suggested that Oscar go and play with Felix and Sam. Oscar happily agreed and headed outside; Nick and Greg stood in the kitchen so they could talk privately but also keep an eye on the boys.

"G, what's going on?" Nick asked worriedly; his friend looked kind of pale and like he was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

"You know what, it's stupid…" Greg said beginning to pace - he had a tendency to pace when he was anxious. "I'm probably just over reacting…but you have to understand I do have a good reason for being anxious…I- I just don't know what to do" he said helplessly.

"Greg, you need to calm down" Nick tried to reason with him "I trust that you have every right to be worried about…whatever you're worrying about..."

"Oh yeah, because I've never been over-dramatic before" Greg mumbled sarcastically.

Nick couldn't help but smile "Yeah, but you're a dad now, and that's bound to cause some anxieties, but the right thing to do starts to come as instinct"

"But that's just it, I don't know what to do" Greg said as he finally stopped pacing.

"About what?" Nick asked "I can't help you if you keep avoiding telling me what's upsetting you, G"

Greg nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, well I got a letter this morning and it was from Ellen" he said quietly.

Nick's eyes widened in shock. Almost four years of nothing and suddenly Oscar's mother sent a letter from her prison cell. Nick was starting to understand Greg's discomfort.

"What did she want?" the older man asked.

Greg looked out the window at his little boy who was currently throwing Sam his ball.

"She wants to see Oscar"


	3. Chapter 3: Decision

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews :) I intend to finish 'Expecting the Unexpected' this week, so I can concentrate more on this story. Also, I haven't forgotten about Samantha! She'll be back in a big way ;) but for now, Greg has a tough decision to make. I hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter 3: Decision **

Greg had continued pacing after finally revealing the purpose of his visit to Nick; the older man himself wished he could say something of real use, but Nick felt he really couldn't be the one to tell Greg what to do, because that's what the younger man had implied, he'd wanted Nick to tell him what do. Greg needed to be the one to make this decision, but he could see why Greg was getting so upset.

"He's too young, right?" Greg said "I mean he's three, I can't take his innocence away by taking him somewhere like that. I can't tell him why he can only see his mother if there are cops in the room and why she's wearing handcuffs. I can't say; well, you know how daddy puts bad people away? Well mommy is one of them!"

"Greg, just calm down" Nick said concernedly; the younger man had started breathing rather erratically and he feared Greg might actually have a panic attack. "Here, sit" the Texan said, pulling out a chair to emphasize it was an order rather than a suggestion.

Greg took the seat and Nick sat down opposite him. The younger man buried his head in his hands with a sigh of exasperation.

"On the other hand…she's still him mother" Greg said as he leant back on his chair to look at Nick "And I don't want Oscar to resent me later in life because I kept them apart"

"Oscar could never resent you" Nick said sincerely "He loves you to pieces, man"

Greg gave his friend a small smile of appreciation, but then fell back into his troubled state. "I know but I don't want to dictate his life like that. My mother did that for me and sometimes I still condemn her for it… I don't want to be like that with Oscar"

"I know, but Greg you have to make this decision. Oscar is smart, but he's young –_ too_ young – to understand these things" Nick stated.

Greg suddenly scoffed with contempt "I can't believe Ellen is the one in jail for murder and yet _I'm_ the one who's worried about being the bad guy"

"Exactly, It's ridiculous" Nick told him "Ellen did some really bad things, okay, she could have had you killed and then Oscar would have had no one" he painfully reminded Greg.

Greg shuddered "I don't even want to think about that" he said quietly. "But…but yet there's still a part of me that thinks…look, Ellen gave me my son, and I could never just disregard her because of that"

Nick nodded "I understand that. After I found out about Felix I_ really_ wanted to dislike Katelyn because she kept my son away from me for four years, but I just couldn't, she's the mother of my child, and she loves Felix."

"I…I like to think Ellen at least_ thinks_ about Oscar, ya know?" Greg said "Wonder how he's doing… but she doesn't even know his name. When Oscar was born I remember that she asked to hold him, but they wouldn't let her, and I'd like to believe that hurt I thought I saw in her eyes was genuine; that she really wanted him"

"So basically, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place?" Nick said. Greg nodded gloomily. "Greg, I wish I could give you some more solid advice, but this is a choice only you can make. Besides, to be honest I don't think I'd know what to do either. You just have to think about what's right for Oscar, and being the awesome dad that you are, I know that in the end you'll know exactly what to do, and me and the rest of our friends will support you _whatever_ you decide"

Greg gave his friend an appreciative smile "Thanks Nick, you always know what to say"

Nick smiled back at him and gave a modest shrug "What are big brothers for?"

* * *

Oscar and Felix laughed to themselves as they plonked down on the floor, highly amused by Sam chasing his own tail around in circles.

"How long are you staying, Felix?" Oscar asked after they managed to contain their laughter.

"Four whole weeks!" Felix grinned; to two young boys, that was a heck of a long time.

"Wow! But, won't you miss your mommy whilst you're staying wiv Uncle Nick?" Oscar asked.

Felix nodded "Yeah, but it's okay, because I have my dad" he said with a smile "Do you miss your mommy?" he asked.

Oscar shook his head "I don't hab a mommy, member?"

"Well she must be somewhere" Felix said with a slightly puzzled frown "Maybe we could find her!"

"Maybe…" Oscar pondered "Bu' my daddy always say dat he loves me lots and lots, so it doesn't matter mommy isn't dere"

"Did he not tell you where your mommy is and why she isn't there?" Felix asked. "I always use to ask my mom why I didn't have a dad before I met him"

Oscar frowned "No, daddy never tell me"

"Well, maybe you should ask him?" Felix suggested.

Just then, Nick and Greg entered in the back garden. "C'mon Oscar, Felix and Uncle Nick need some time alone now. We'll go to the park" Greg said.

"Okay" Oscar said as the boys stood up from the floor "Buh Bye, Felix" he said hugging the older boy.

"Bye, Oscar" Felix said "And thanks for helping with my room, Uncle Greg, I really like it" he smiled at his father's friend.

"You're welcome, I'm glad you liked it" Greg said, returning the smile and then he and Oscar left.

* * *

After, talking with Nick, Greg thought he had decided to not take Oscar too see Ellen; it would be too hard on Oscar and for the father as well to have to explain things to such a young child.

Oscar and Greg were sat eating breakfast together the next morning when Oscar spoke up as he rhythmically swirled his fruit loops around in the bowl.

"Daddy, why don I hab a mommy?" the little boy asked.

Greg nearly choked on his toast, not at all expecting the question. He coughed and thumped his chest lightly. He'd been dreading this conversation only yesterday, and had been planning different ways to try and explain, but Greg had never thought Oscar would have been the one to bring it up.

"Erm...it's complicated, Osc."

"Comp…compa…compa what?" Oscar asked curiously.

"It means, that you're very little still, and even though you're very smart, it might be hard for you to understand" Greg explained.

"Well, where is she?" the little boy pressed.

"Erm…okay…" Greg got out of his seat and went to squat down beside Oscar, taking his little boy's hand. He tried to think of a delicate way to put this. Oscar my only be three, but he was really smart and Greg would never lie to him "You know how…when you do something bad and daddy tells you to take a time out?" Oscar nodded his head "Well your mommy… she did some _really_ bad things…so she has to take a _really_ long time out"

"Oh…okay" Oscar said sounding disappointed. "Does mommy no like me? Is dat why she did da bad fing?"

"No, of course not!" Greg said running a comforting hand through his son's hair. He was upset that Oscar could possibly think it was his fault "She did the bad things before you were even born. She would love you very much and I'm sure she thinks about you all the time"

Greg liked to believe that. Surely if she didn't care, Ellen would have just got rid of Oscar before he was born and not even told Greg…the father couldn't even began to stand the thought. Oscar was his life now, and the thought of the little boy never being there broke Greg's heart.

"Can I see her?" Oscar asked.

Greg sighed "I don't know, Oscar"

"But Felix has a mommy and a daddy!" the little boy exclaimed "It no fair!" Oscar's bottom lip quivered with sadness and Greg could see the tears pooling in the little boy's eyes. The father hated seeing his son so upset.

"I'm sorry Oscar, but I really don't think it's a good idea I take you to see mommy" Greg said regrettably. He knew it would be hard for Oscar to understand why he couldn't see Ellen and what she did was hurtful and wrong…but it didn't make it any easier to say no.

"But why!?" the little boy yelled as he jumped down from the chair "Why won you let me see mommy?!"

"Oscar…" Greg said gently, trying to calm his son down.

"Daddy, I hate you!" the little boy cried and then ran off to his room.

Greg looked absolutely stunned. He couldn't believe Oscar had said that, it was the first time he'd ever said anything like that. His heart felt broken. Greg stood up and wiped a stray tear from his cheek as he leant with his back against the work top, burying his head in his hands. The single father felt this was his entire fault. Oscar had every right to be mad.

Greg just didn't want Oscar feeling hurt, like his mother didn't care. Greg had always told his son that his love for him was bigger than the whole wide world, it didn't matter Oscar only had one parent because Greg loved him enough for two.

There was a sudden knock at the door which startled Greg. The CSI closed his eyes and sighed, he'd totally forgotten Morgan was coming to take them to breakfast. Greg went to answer the door, plastering on a fake smile as he did so.

"Hey, Morgan" he said a little warily.

"Hi, Greg" Morgan said but she looked a little confused "Are you okay?" she asked, seeing the red tint in the man's eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Greg lied and stepped aside to let her in.

Morgan didn't believe him at all. "Greg, what's up?" she asked placing a concerned hand on her friend's arm.

Greg sniffed "It's nothing, really" he said quietly before folding his arms and walking away.

"Hey, c'mon" Morgan gently pressed as she followed Greg through the kitchen "just tell me what's wrong"

"It's Oscar…" Greg said with a sigh as he sat at the table and ran a hand through his hair "he just told me he hates me" he said with a shrug and a slightly sheepish smile before burying his head in his hands.

"Why?" Morgan asked sympathetically and slightly in shock.

"He wanted to know why his mom wasn't around; I tried to explain it to him. Then he asked to see her and I said no, and he yelled he hated me" Greg explained. "I thought being beat up in that alley hurt, but that was a thousand times worse"

"He's only three Greg, he doesn't mean it" Morgan tried to console her friend "Oscar is really smart, but he can't understand these things just yet. You were right to try and protect him from Ellen"

"Was I?" Greg asked uncertainly "Oscar really just wants to see her and he wants to know he has two parents like everyone else. Maybe this is a sign that it's time to let them see each other" he sounded very reluctant about the idea.

"Greg, think about all the awful stuff she did! Oscar doesn't deserve to have someone like that as a mom" Morgan told him. "Oscar loves you; any one with eyes can see that"

"I know, I know" Greg said rubbing his eyes "He's my everything, Morgan, I just want to protect him from the world…I just can't believe part of that means protecting him from his own mother"

"Greg, this is your decision to make, no one else's" Morgan said firmly "but don't you worry Oscar might feel even more hurt once he realises what kind of a person Ellen was, and he wonders why he can't see her every day?"

"Of course I understand that but… Oscar wants to see his mom and, I shouldn't stand in the way of that. I won't let her hurt him, Morgan" Greg said shaking his head "I won't"

"Alright" Morgan said, rubbing her friend's shoulder supportively. "Whatever you think is best, I'll help you"

"Thanks" Greg said with a small smile. "I understand I'd be taking a huge risk but… I think… I think I should let him see her"


	4. Chapter 4: Visiting Rights

**A/N: Hello dearests! So sorry it's been a whole two weeks, but I've been really busy with exams at school. I am hoping to make updates a lot more frequent now they are over and I've finished with 'Expecting the Unexpected'. So, I hope you enjoy this new chapter, and please don't forget about Samantha from the 1****st**** chapter! I haven't ;)**

**Please Review :) xx**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Visiting Rights **

Morgan said that she would wait downstairs whilst Greg went to talk to Oscar. He approached his son's room and heard the heart-wrenching noise of his son crying his eyes out. Greg felt like crying himself as he opened the door and saw the lump hiding under the bedcovers which must have been Oscar.

"Oscar, come out please" Greg said, trying to hide the crack in his own throat.

"No, you shout at me" Oscar's muffled voice responded.

"I'm not going to shout, I promise" Greg said as he sat on the end of his son's bed. "Please come out, I just want to talk to you"

Sniffing, Oscar hesitantly began to emerge from beneath the covers and looked at his father with wet eyes.

"Daddy, I sorry, I don hate you" the little boy said with a quivering bottom lip.

"I know, buddy" Greg said with a small smile "But…if you really want to see mommy, then I'm not going to stop you. But you have to understand that when we go see her, it won't be in a house or anything like that. It'll be different because like I said, mommy is being punished because she did a bad thing"

Oscar nodded and crawled across the bed, wrapping his arms around his father's waist. Greg sighed and pulled his little boy close, closing his eyes as the last tear squeezed out. The father trusted he was doing the right thing.

"Fank you" Oscar said "I love you, daddy"

"I love you too, Osc" Greg whispered. "We'll go see mommy this afternoon, but for now we need to get ready. Aunt Morgan's downstairs waiting to take us for breakfast"

"Yey!" Oscar squealed excitedly, and Greg smiled before helping his son get changed.

After changing himself, Greg carried Oscar down the stairs were Morgan was sat waiting for them. The way she was bobbing her left leg suggested she was maybe a bit anxious, as she really hoped Greg would sort everything out, but as she saw the father and son with smiles on their faces, Morgan eased up a little too.

"Hey, squirt" Morgan said with a smile as she knelt down to pick Oscar into her arms.

"Aunt Morgan!" the little boy giggled "Daddy is gunna let me see mommy"

"He is?" Morgan said "Well that's good, I'm excited for you" she said showing Greg that she would support his decision. Greg gave her an appreciative smile.

"Yeah, but don worry, I stiw love you like a mommy, Aunt Morgan"

"Aww sweetie, I love you too" Morgan replied as she hugged the little boy close.

Greg smiled; that was what a mother and son relationship should look like. "You guys ready to go?" he said, fetching his own and Oscar's coat.

"Yeah, I hungry!" Oscar said rubbing his stomach for emphasis. Greg and Morgan laughed, before they all left the house together.

* * *

Greg had the greatest sense of dread within him when they arrived at the women's prison. He had called earlier to say he would visit Ellen on the condition they could have a private room; he didn't want Oscar to see all the iron bars and thugs which made Greg himself feel unease, let alone a three year old.

Oscar stared up at the huge building with wonder in his eyes "dat's reawy big" he observed.

"Yeah, which is why you have to stay close to me" Greg said as he helped unbuckle the car seat "because otherwise you'll get lost" and that was only one of Greg's minor concerns going into a place like this.

"Okay, I promise daddy" Oscar replied, and Greg made his son hold his hand tightly as they made their way to the visitor's entrance.

"CSI Sanders" the warden who was sat behind the desk smiled at him "Didn't expect to see you here. Not with you putting half the guys in here and all" he added with a whisper.

"Not in front of my son, please" Greg whispered sternly, and the warden gave him a somewhat apologetic look. "We're here to see Ellen Whitebridge"

"Ah, yes" the warden said scanning through his computer "we have a room set aside for you, right this way"

At this point, Greg picked Oscar up as they walked through the halls. The further they found themselves going into the prison, the tighter Greg's grip on his son got. He was starting to think this was a bad idea; he hadn't made the right decision at all. Although, Oscar seemed to be taking it well as he silently looked around the building, but Greg was also worried that his usually chatty son was not saying a word.

"You okay, Osc?" he asked.

"Mmhmm" the little boy replied; he was just being curious as always, another trait of Greg's people picked up on. "Are you okay, daddy?"

"I am if you are" Greg reassured him with a small smile.

Finally, they arrived at the room and the warden unlocked the door. Greg took a deep breath and closed his eyes before stepping inside. He was almost scared to look at first, because he knew as soon as he saw Ellen, so many emotions were going to hit Greg all at once and he wasn't sure how to handle it all.

Ellen sat behind a desk, two officers either side of her, wearing the familiar plain clothing and her hands cuffed in front of her exactly like the last time she and Greg had talked which was when she had told Greg she was pregnant. That had been four years ago, and Ellen still managed to look as young and beautiful as ever – there wasn't a hair out of place, a blemish in sight.

Greg almost cursed her for it as the naive man who had fallen in love with her in less than a day started to resurface. Ellen had a strange hold on Greg that the CSI wasn't sure would ever go away, but he supposed it did have something to do with her being the mother of his child after all. However, she was a murderer, Greg had to remind himself.

Ellen smiled sweetly at Greg, but it was a gesture he could not return as he silently made his way over to the table and sat with Oscar on his knee. The little boy grew uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden as he leaned right against his father's chest, but kept looking at the smiling woman before him with curiosity and awe.

"You vewy pwetty" Oscar mumbled in observation, and Ellen chuckled lightly.

"Thank you and you are very handsome" she said. "What's your name, sweetie?" Greg shook his head a little; a mother should never have to ask for the name of her own child.

"Oscar" the little boy replied.

Ellen smiled "A handsome name for a handsome boy" she said.

"So…you my mommy?" Oscar asked tentatively.

Ellen nodded. "That's right, I'm your mommy. You were once right here" she said with smile as he placed her hands on her stomach.

"I was never dat small!" Oscar said in disbelief and Ellen laughed at him again; Greg couldn't help the way his lips twitched upwards too.

"You were!" Ellen said "You were_ very_ tiny the last time I saw you"

"You habn't seen me in a long time" Oscar pouted.

Ellen shook her head sadly "I know, and I'm so sorry but that's all my fault. " Greg wanted to believe the upset in her eyes was real when she said this. "I did some bad things, as I'm sure your father has told you, so now I have to be punished"

"What bad fing did you do?" Oscar asked quietly.

"Oh erm…" Ellen paused and looked at Greg, who was giving her quite a stern look and shaking his head discreetly. "Well, I'm sure your teacher at school tells you not to get into fights, yes?" Oscar nodded. "Well, mommy got into a really big fight, and now she has to be punished to show that she's sorry"

"Okay" Oscar said, taking this as some understanding. "Can I come see you more ofen?" he asked.

Ellen smiled sadly "Well, that's up to your father" she said looking at Greg, who was yet to say a word.

Greg looked down at his son who was staring back at him with wide hopeful eyes, and the CSI found he didn't have the heart to say no.

"I'll arrange something" Greg said quietly.

Oscar beamed at him "Thank you, daddy" he nuzzled further into Greg's chest, and the father held his son tightly, the urge to protect stronger than ever.

"You're so polite and mature" Ellen told Oscar with a smile.

The little boy frowned "What mat-ture mean?" he asked.

"It means even though you're little, you can act very grown up" Ellen explained.

"I not little, I a big boy" Oscar pouted.

Ellen laughed "Yes you certainly are, and I can tell your daddy has done a wonderful job looking after you"

"He has!" Oscar said eagerly "He da bestest daddy ever!" he said proudly.

Greg smiled "Because you're the best thing in my life and you're more important to me than anything else in the whole wide world" he said quietly and planted a kiss on top of his son's jet black hair.

Oscar giggled "Thank you, daddy. I love you"

"I love you too" Greg whispered. "Now, I think I need to speak with your mother alone for a moment" he said.

One of the female officers in the room stepped forward "Come with me sweetie" she said to Oscar "We'll go get you some juice or something whilst mommy and daddy talk"

"Okay" Oscar said quietly, and he was hesitant to leave Greg's lap at first, but Greg soon assured him it was alright. Oscar took the policewoman's hand. "Bye mommy, it was nice to see you, I hope I see you again soon." Greg sighed a little at his son's words and had to try and force the tears back in his eyes as much as he could.

"It was nice seeing you too, Oscar" Ellen smiled "And I want you to know that no matter what, I will always love you, because I'm your mommy"

Oscar nodded, and with one last look at Greg – who tried to smile at his son in reassurance – the little boy left the room along with the female officer.

"Thank you, for bringing him" Ellen said quietly.

"I didn't do it for you, and I didn't do it for me, I did it for Oscar" Greg said sternly. "If he wants to keep seeing you, that's his choice, I won't stop him, however that doesn't mean I'm happy about it, and I have to be there too"

Ellen nodded. "I understand" she said looking down at her cuffed hands "You really have done an amazing job with him Greg, he's a beautiful and intelligent little boy. He looks so much like me" she said with a sad smile as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"That better be real" Greg said pointing to the tear "Because if you ever say or do anything to hurt Oscar then I_ will_ stop him from seeing you"

"Greg, he's my son" Ellen said in a broken voice "You may find this hard to believe but I love him, call it mother's instinct, I want to have as much of a relationship as I can with him." Her words sounded honest, but Greg had thought Ellen was an honest woman before, and look how wrong he's been about that. "And believe it or not, I did love you"

Greg scoffed. "We were together for a day, I was blinded by you, thinking we had love at first sight, and then all you did was take advantage of me and nearly got me killed!"

"I was scared" Ellen said as she was openly crying. "I thought if I didn't comply he'd put me in that electric chair too!"

"I could have helped you!" Greg exclaimed and slammed a fist on the table, startling Ellen. The CSI sighed and took a deep breath. "Look, I want to hate you, okay, I _really _do." Greg said as he ran a hand down his face. "But I can't, because you gave me Oscar, and you're his mother. I saw the way you looked at him after you'd given birth and I thought I saw despair as they took him away from you. What you did was unforgivable, yet there's still a part of me that want's to believe deep down you're a good person who was just misled and made a lot of bad choices"

Ellen nodded once more in understanding. "I regret what I did every day, I'd do anything to take it all back just so I could hold my little boy" she said. "But I have to face what I've done, and you are the best thing for Oscar. I knew you for two days, Greg, but you were the most genuine man I'd ever met. You'll take care of Oscar always, I know you will"

"Damn straight" Greg scowled. "We'll come visit again when Oscar is ready, but for now, goodbye, Ellen" he said a little coldly before standing up and walking out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5: Parentage

**A/N: Hello my darling, lovely, gorgeous readers! I am**_** so**_** sorry it's taken so long to update this story, I feel really bad and I don't have a really good excuse XD I am trying to find time to engage in this story, but it's hard right now. I do have a plot for this, and things are really going to start hotting up after this chapter, but hopefully this chapter is good too XD I hope you enjoy!**

**Please Review :) xx**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Parentage **

It had been a week since Greg and Oscar had been to visit Ellen in prison. Greg was still a little rattled by the visit, not sure what to expect from the future, but Oscar was yet to mention it since they had left the building, and this left Greg wondering whether he should be concerned or not. However, things between Greg and Oscar had been good; the little boy still seemed his usual hyperactive self, and Greg cherished every moment of the day with him.

After the ordeal was over Greg felt more like his life was back on track, and so finally managed to get in contact with Samantha to organise their date. He hoped he hadn't left it too late; from what he remembered Samantha was very beautiful, intelligent and understanding. They were going to a new restaurant, which would hopefully offer them some intimacy for open conversation.

Greg was thrilled when Samantha said she'd of course been waiting for him to call, and she too was very excited about their date. So, on that Saturday evening Greg was preparing himself for his date whilst Oscar sat on his father's bed, pretending his teddies were suspects so he could interrogate them 'like daddy does'.

"Am I gunna get to meet Samanfa?" Oscar asked as Greg was fixing his tie in the mirror.

"Maybe not tonight" Greg said; he didn't want Oscar to get attached straightaway in case things didn't go too well. "But of things go okay, then I'm sure you can meet soon"

"Is she gunna be my new mommy?" the little boy asked curiously, but there was also a hint of sadness in his voice.

Greg sighed and turned to face his son "No, if you love your mom then she is _always _gunna be your mom" he said seriously and went to sit on the bed, patting his lap and Oscar shuffled into it. "I'm going to make sure that your mom doesn't let you down, otherwise she knows daddy will be _very _cross" he said as he ran a hand through his son's jet black hair.

"I don like it when you cross" Oscar said as he leant against his father's chest.

Greg chuckled "Mmm, well it's a good job you don't make me cross very often" he said and placed a kiss on his son's forehead.

"No, I better at making you laugh" Oscar said as he pulled a funny face at Greg, and the father did indeed laugh.

"You certainly are" Greg said as he hugged his son close once more.

Moments later and the doorbell rang. Oscar immediately got excited – as he knew who it was- and started to wriggle out of Greg's arm with enthusiasm.

"Yey, Aunt Morgan's here!" the little boy cried as he hurried out the room.

"Be careful on the stairs!" Greg called after him in warning. He checked his hair once more in the mirror and headed downstairs to open the door for Morgan, and Oscar was waiting patiently.

"Hey, Squirt!" Morgan beamed and knelt down so that Oscar could run into her arms and she picked him up, swinging him around a bit and the little boy giggled.

"Hey, Aunt Morgan! We gunna have fun!" Oscar said happily as he wrapped his arms around the woman's neck for one of his notorious big hugs.

"We sure are" Morgan smiled. "Hey, Greg" she finally spoke to the father, but he was just happy to stand back and watch his son and best friend interact with a warm smile on his face.

To Greg, the happiness apparent in both Morgan and Oscar when they were together was what a mother and son relationship should look like, and it made Greg happy to know the Morgan was like a mother in Oscar's eyes. She was a true role model for the little boy and Greg knew he could rely on Morgan to never let Oscar down. She was there for him and his son more than Ellen ever could be, and for that he would be forever grateful.

"Hey, you better come in" he said stepping aside, and Morgan entered with Oscar still in her arms. "Thanks so much for coming, I know it was kinda short notice" Greg said as they went through to the lounge.

"Oh, don't mention it, I love spending time with the little guy" Morgan said as she playfully tickled Oscar's chin; the little boy giggled.

"Well, I might be back late..." Greg said as he grabbed his blazer and pulled it on.

"It's okay, don't rush back, we'll be fine" Morgan reassured him. "Besides, I asked Nick if he and Felix wanted to come over later so the boys could play for a bit before they went to bed"

"Oh, good idea" Greg said as he grabbed his keys off the table. "Right, I better be off. You behave for Aunt Morgan now" he said to Oscar.

"I pwomise" Oscar said, and Greg placed a kiss on his son's cheek. "Bye, daddy!" the little boy said with a wave.

"Have a good time" Morgan said with a small smile, but there was something about it which seemed verging on the edge of sadness.

"Thanks, see you later" Greg said and then left the apartment.

"So, what do you want to do first?" Morgan asked Oscar as she placed him back on the ground.

"Let's go make pizzas for dinner!" Oscar said enthusiastically as he took Morgan's hand and started to drag her into the kitchen.

Morgan couldn't help but laugh. Never in a million years did she think she'd be one for kids, she'd never even thought she wanted them herself, but Oscar made her so happy to be around and she couldn't imagine a life where she hadn't met him.

* * *

When Greg arrived at the restaurant he found Samantha already waiting for him. She smiled at Greg through the window as he walked to the door, and she was indeed as flawlessly beautiful as he remembered. There was still something unbelievably familiar looking about her, and Greg almost knew what it was, but it was like he was trying to block the thought out of his mind.

"Hey" Samantha said with a broad grin as she stood up to greet Greg.

"Hi, Samantha" he grinned back and they shared a quick hug before sitting down at the table. "You look gorgeous" Greg said, almost overpowered by her beauty; he'd sensed power like it before, but he couldn't quite place…

"Oh, thank you" Samantha said as she flicked back some strands of her sleek black hair. "And you look very handsome" she added with a seductive smile.

"Well, I do try" Greg joked with a smirk. "So, how about some wine?" he asked.

"Sure" Samantha said.

Once the wine had been brought, and their food had been ordered, Greg and Samantha got into some real conversation.

"So, tell me a little more about yourself, Greg" Samantha said, resting her chin on her pyramided fingers and looking at Greg with blue eyes glinting curiously. "I know you're a CSI, but what do you do when you're not saving damsels in distress?" she asked teasingly and Greg laughed.

"Well, I suppose I better get the big one out of the way first" he said a little nervously as he rubbed the palms of his hands against his trousers. "I have a four year old son." Greg didn't look at Samantha when he said this, a little worried about her reaction.

"Really? That's great!" Samantha said and Greg looked up at her a little surprised. "I love kids, I have three little nieces and they're such a joy to be with"

"Wow erm…good, I'm glad it doesn't bother you" Greg said honestly. "My son is the most important part of my life and he always comes first for me. I've had him on my own since the day he was born, his mom is…" he trailed off thinking of the best way to put it. Samantha seemed to tense a little, and Greg wondered if it was because he was making her feel awkward, but there was something almost intimidating about it. "His mom went away" Greg finally settled on "and, I don't think she's ever coming back"

"Oh…" Samantha sat back in her chair, took a big swig of her wine and virtually slammed the glass back down on the table.

Greg looked a little startled "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm so sorry" Samantha said smiling as if nothing unusual just happened and brushing her hair aside once more. "It's just that…" she thought for a moment "I know how that feels, you know, me and my sister were raised by our dad too, our mom was never around"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that" Greg said, the empathetic man taking over him as it usually did.

"What's your son's name?" Samantha asked with a smile as things seemed to be back to the previous upbeat mood.

"Oscar" Greg couldn't help but smile "He's super smart and he's very well behaved, one of the sweetest kids you'll ever meet"

"And I can't wait to meet him" Samantha said with what appeared to be a sincere grin. "To your son, and our first date" she said raising her glass.

Greg raised his too "To Oscar and our first date" he said, and they clinked glasses together before taking a sip.

* * *

Meanwhile, Nick and Felix had gone round to Greg's house so that the boys could spend some time together. Felix and Oscar were currently drawing some pictures at the coffee table whilst Morgan and Nick caught up over a beer.

"It must be really great to have Felix with you for a while" Morgan said quietly, but the boys were talking anyway so they probably wouldn't be over heard.

"It really is" Nick said smiling at his son. "I hate that I can't be with him all the time though"

"I know, it must be hard" Morgan said. "I really missed my dad when he wasn't around, but deep down I knew he was there if I needed him. You do everything you possibly can for Felix"

"Yeah, I guess" Nick said as he looked down at his beer bottle "it's just…sometimes I feel like it's not enough"

Morgan sighed sadly "Nick, you are an _amazing_ dad. Most guys in your situation wouldn't even _try _to stay in contact with their kids, but Felix loves you, it's obvious to anyone who sees him with you"

Nick smiled at the younger woman in appreciation. "Thanks" he said quietly.

Morgan shrugged. "Don't mention it. It's not your fault things are the way they are"

"I know that" Nick assured her. "And I really want to blame it all on Katelyn but…I understand why she may have been nervous about the whole thing, we wanted _completely_ different lives… sometimes I question whether I've actually forgiven her for keeping Felix from me for so long, but she's him mom, she gave me my son and I could never hate her. Greg said the same about Ellen"

Morgan nodded. "He hasn't really mentioned the visit, has he?" she brought up. "I hope everything is okay…" she said shooting a worried glance in Oscar's direction.

"I'm sure it is" Nick said optimistically. "I trust Greg would come to us if he was having problems"

"It must have been hard for him, though. I mean…" she lowered her voice to a whisper "What Ellen did must have been devastating for Greg, he could have_ died_. I don't think I could ever forgive anyone if they did that to me. Greg is really strong, and really brave" she said admirably.

"I know what you mean" Nick said. "Greg was _besotted_ with Ellen when he first saw her, so I understand why it must have been hard for him when things went so wrong, but if those bad things hadn't happened, if he hadn't had gone after Ellen, then Oscar wouldn't even be here"

"I couldn't even begin to imagine that" Morgan said with a sad smile. "I'm not saying I won't support Greg, this is his life, his decisions and I'll do whatever I can to help him"

"Do you agree with his decision to go on a date with Samantha?" Nick asked with a smirk as he took another sip of his beer.

Morgan frowned a little in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't bother you?" Nick asked.

"No…why would it?" Morgan countered.

Nick just smirked; a knowing smile. "Oh, no reason…"

* * *

"I had a really great time, Greg" Samantha said as the pair stood outside her house after they'd left the restaurant. "I hope we can get together again soon"

"Definitely, I had an awesome time too" Greg said genuinely. "I'll call you in a few days"

"Good, I'll be waiting" Samantha said with a seductive smile and she took another step closer to Greg. "See you soon, my knight in shining armour"

And with that, she pushed her perfectly plumped lips against Greg and the CSI became entranced in the kiss. It felt so good, so full of chemistry and yet again, the feeling was so strangely familiar…almost like a warning.


End file.
